Discovering the world of sustainable and cultural textiles… and adding a side of bling!

Using only 4 ingredients, beeswax wraps are the perfect alternative to cling wrap and are proven to keep your food fresher for longer!  Ingredients:  100% cotton fabric, cut to any size or shape  50g beeswax  17.5g pine resin 3 tsp jojoba oil Method:  1. Ground the pine resin to a fine powder in a mortar and pestle. Preheat the oven to 180'C.  2. In a glass jar or bowl melt the beeswax, pine resin and jojoba oil over boiling water.  3. Place cotton fabric pieces on a baking tray covered with baking paper.  4. Once melted, keep jar or bowl over boiling water to avoid setting, and spread wax mixture over the cotton.  5. Place the oven tray in the oven for 2 minutes.  6. Remove the t ray from the oven and immediately pick up the fabric and wave it back and forth for 30secs.  Fabric will harden but will be pliable. 7. Use to wrap and seal containers or wrap over foods.    These pieces will be used to create a lining for an ins...

 How to inspire creativity in the classroom... Creativity in the classroom TED talk.  Ideas of how to inspire creativity in your classroom.  9 classroom ideas for creative thinking and learning - Classcraft Blog - Resource hub for schools and districts Below are two Pinterest boards to help to inspire students about creative textiles.  Inclusive textiles:  https://www.pinterest.com.au/asideofbling/inclusive-textiles-and-fashion-design/ Unusual Textiles:  https://www.pinterest.com.au/asideofbling/unusual-textile-use/

Fashion Trends for the Spring/Summer 2022 Follow the link to my webpage, created with Adobe Express, highlighting the fashion trends and colours for the Spring/Summer 2022 season.  Fashion Trends

  Fashion Forecasting and Understanding Trend Inspiration  As a teacher, it is important to keep up to date with the latest fashion trends and colours to ensure you are able to connect and relate to your students and their learning. There are many companies that forecast the latest fashion trends, colours, prints, fabrics and textures before they hit the runway during fashion weeks.  Another important focus within the fashion world, that students want to be aware of and involved in is the ethical and sustainable stance of clothing brands. Fashion brands are starting to focus on sustainability and making a commitment to creating ethical fashion. Oxfam Australia has started a campaign, What She Makes, asking fashion brands to ensure their garment factory workers are paid a living wage. You can track their progress and the Australian companies involved at the below link.   What She Makes | Oxfam Australia Pantone Colour Institute Each fashion season, Pantone Colour...

Careers in Textiles with a Difference If you asked a group of teenage school students what they believed they would likely learn about in a senior textiles class and what job outcomes they could have after their studies it would be more than likely they would give you the same answer - fashion designer!  It is our job as textile teachers to inform, inspire and advocate to our students that there is so much more to textiles than fashion, particularly high-end or fast fashion. Below is a graphic listing all the possible career outcomes within the textile and design field.   I created this careers poster to inspire students about sustainable fashion and the big effect that it can have on the environment.   

 What have I created...